Proteoglycan degrading mutants for the treatment of CNS

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to the preparation and deletion mutants of chondroitinase proteins and their use in methods for promoting the diffusion of therapeutic composition into tissues and their use for neurological functional recovery after central nervous system (“CNS”) injury or disease.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/471,240, filed May 16, 2003; U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/471,239, filed May 16, 2003; U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/471,300, filed May 16, 2003; U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/474,372 filed May 16, 2003; and U.S. patentapplication entitled FUSION PROTEINS FOR TREATMENT OF CNS, filedcocurrently herewith on May 17, 2004, U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/848,564 the contents of each of these references incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety.

L. SEQUENCE LISTING

The file of this patent contains a Sequence Listing, identified as Seq.ID. Nos. 1-50. The Sequence Listing is contained in paper format (110sheets) and in electronic format (2 CD-R 221KB). The CD-R formats can beidentified as follows:

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Chondroitinases are enzymes of bacterial origin that act on chondroitinsulfate, a component of the proteoglycans that are components of theextracellular matrix of a wide variety of tissues such as the centralnervous system and for example they can mediate the attachment betweenthe retina and the vitreous body of the human eye. Examples ofchondroitinase enzymes are chondroitinase ABC I, SEQ ID NO: 37, which isproduced by the bacterium Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris), andchondroitinase AC, SEQ ID NO: 5, which is produced by Flavobacteriumheparinum. Chondroitinases ABC I SEQ ID NO: 37, and chondroitinase ACSEQ ID NO: 5, function by degrading polysaccharide side chains inprotein-polysaccharide complexes, without degrading the protein core.

Yarnagata et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 243:1523-1535, 1968) describe thepurification of the chondroitinases like ABC I SEQ ID NO: 37 fromextracts of P. vulgaris. This enzyme selectively degrades theglycosaminoglycans chondroitin-4-sulfate, dermatan sulfate, andchondroitin-6-sulfate (also referred to respectively as chondroitinsulfates A, B, and C which are side chains of proteoglycans) at pH 8 athigher rates than it degrades chondroitin or hyaluronic acid. Theproducts of the degradation are high molecular weight unsaturatedoligosaccharides and an unsaturated disaccharide. However,chondroitinase ABC I, SEQ ID NO: 37, does not act on keratosulfate,heparin or heparitin sulfate.

Uses of chondroitinases include rapid, specific and non-surgicaldisruption of the attachment of the vitreous body to the neural retinaof the eye, thereby facilitating removal of the vitreous body.

P. vulgaris chondroitinase ABC I SEQ ID NO: 1 migrates with an apparentmolecular mass of about 110 kDa when resolved by SDS-PAGE. Theappearance of a doublet in SDS-PAGE resolution of chondroitinase ABC hasbeen reported (Sato et al., Agric. Biol. Chem. 50:4, 1057-1059, 1986).However, this doublet represents intact chondroitinase ABC and a 90 kDadegradation product. Commercial chondroitinase ABC protein preparationscontain variable amounts of this 90 kDa degradation product and anadditional 18 kDa degradation product also derived from chondroitinaseABC I, SEQ ID NO: 1.

Chondroitinase ABC II, SEQ ID NO: 26, has also been isolated andpurified from P. vulgaris, Chondroitinase ABC II, SEQ ID NO: 26, is apolypeptide of 990 amino acids with an apparent molecular mass bySDS-PAGE of about 112 kDa. Its molecular mass as determined byelectrospray and laser desorption mass spectrometry is about 111,772daltons. Chondroitinase ABC II, SEQ ID NO: 26, has an isoelectric pointof 8.4-8.45. Its enzymatic activity is distinct from, but complementaryto, that of chondroitinase ABC I SEQ ID NO: 1. Chondroitinase ABC I, SEQID NO: 1, endolytically cleaves proteoglycans to produce end-productdisaccharides, as well as at least two other products which are thoughtto be tetrasaccharides, Chondroitinase ABC II, SEQ ID NO: 26, digests atleast one of these tetrasaccharide products from the chondroitinase ABCI (SEQ ID NO: 1) digestion of proteoglycan.

After a injury in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS), theinability of axons to regenerate may lead to permanent paralysis. Aninjury-caused lesion will develop glial scarring, which containsextracellular matrix molecules including chondroitin sulfateproteoglycans (CSPGs). CSPGs inhibit nerve tissue growth in vitro, andnerve tissue regeneration fails at CSPGs rich regions in vivo.

A number of molecules, and specified regions of them, have beenimplicated in the ability to support the sprouting of neurites from aneuronal cell, a process also referred to as neurite outgrowth. The termneurite refers to both axon and dendrite structures. This process ofspouting neurites is essential in neural development and regeneration,especially after physical injury or disease has damaged neuronal cells.Neurites elongate profusely during development both in the central andperipheral nervous systems of all animal species. This phenomenonpertains to both axons and dendrites. However, neurite regrowth in theCNS decreases as the animal's age increases.

Chondroitinase enzymes have shown efficacy in improving functionaloutcomes in several in vivo models of spinal cord injury. Recombinantlyproduced chondroitinases AC (SEQ ID NO: 5) and chondroitinase B (SEQ IDNO: 12) polypeptides have shown efficacy in vitro by overcoming thebarrier of an inhibitory substrate border, such as aggrecan, resultingin neurite extension for rat cortical neurons.

The inventors have discovered through a deletion analysis based on theavailable crystal structures, the minimally sized polypeptides capableof degrading chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). The cleavageactivity of all these mutants have been screened in vitro by zymographicassay using aggrecan as a substrate. A truncated polypeptide ofchondroitinase AC (nΔ50-cΔ275), (SEQ ID NO: 11), lacking 50 and 275amino acids from the amino and carboxy termini respectively and having amolecular weight of 38 kDa compared to 75 kDa of the full lengthprotein, was found to be the minimal size that retained activity astested by a zymographic assay. The deletion mutant of chondroitinase B(nΔ120-cΔ120), (SEQ ID NO: 17), lacking 120 amino acids from each of theamino and carboxy termini and having a molecular weight of 26 kDacompared to 52 kDa of the full length protein, was shown to retainactivity as well in a zymographic assay. Reduction in the size andcomplexity of the molecule may facilitate diffusion to the site ofaction and potentially reduce immunogenicity for prolonged therapeuticuse. These smaller chondroitinases could be potential therapeutics forspinal cord injury.

The present disclosure relates to mutants of chondroitinase genes,polypeptides and proteins derived therefrom, and their use in methodsfor promoting neurological functional recovery after central nervoussystem (“CNS”) injury or disease. The mutant genes, polypeptides andproteins derived from them preferably include deletion, substitution, ora combination of these from the structural units the mature gene orpolypeptide; more preferably the mutant genes or polypeptides aredeletion mutants of the mature gene or polypeptide. These mutant genesor polypeptides, preferably biologically active, may be used in variouspharmaceutical compositions.

Polypeptide mutants of chondroitinase ABC Type I, SEQ ID NO: 1,Chondroitinase ABC Type II, SEQ ID NO: 26, Chondroitinase AC, SEQ ID NO:5, and Chondroitinase B, SEQ ID NO: 12, are provided. Other mammalianenzymes mutants with chondroitinase-like activity may independentlyinclude such enzymes as hyaluronidase 1, SEQ ID NO: 30, hyaluronidase 2,SEQ ID NO: 31, hyaluronidase 3, SEQ ID NO: 32, hyaluronidase 4, SEQ IDNO: 33, and optionally PH-20, SEQ ID NO: 34. These deletion orsubstitution mutant may be used alone or in combination withchondroitinases or their deletion or substitution mutants as therapeuticcompositions and mixtures. Further provided is the use of these mutants,and preferably the chondroitinase deletion or substitution mutants topromote neurological functional recovery in mammals following injury tothe CNS, including but not limited to contusion injury.

One embodiment of the present invention are isolated nucleic acidmolecules consisting of, and preferably comprising, a nucleotidesequence encoding the amino acid sequence of polypeptides that aredeletion and or substitution mutants of proteoglycan degradingmolecules. Independently, nucleic acid molecules of the presentinvention may encode for mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides ofchondroitinase ABC Type I, SEQ ID NO: 1, Chondroitinase ABC Type II, SEQID NO: 26, Chondroitinase AC, SEQ ID NO: 5, and Chondroitinase B, SEQ IDNO: 12, hyaluronidase 1, SEQ ID NO: 30, hyaluronidase 2, SEQ ID NO: 31,hyaluronidase 3, SEQ ID NO: 32, hyaluronidase 4, SEQ ID NO: 33, oroptionally PH-20, SEQ ID NO: 34 and combinations of these. Preferablythe nucleic acids encode for chondroitinase deletion and or substitutionmutants. The invention is also directed to nucleic acid moleculesconsisting of, and preferably comprising, a nucleotide sequencecomplementary to the above-described nucleic acid sequences. Alsoprovided for are nucleic acid molecules at least 80%, preferably 85% or90%, still more preferably 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical to anyof the above-described nucleic acid molecules. Also provided for arenucleic acid molecules which hybridize under stringent conditions to anyof the above-described nucleic acid molecules. The present inventionalso provides for recombinant vectors comprising these nucleic acidmolecules, and host cells transformed with such vectors.

Also provided are isolated polypeptides consisting of, and preferablycomprising, the amino acid sequence of deletion and or substitutionmutants of proteoglycan degrading polypeptides. Independently,proteoglycan degrading polypeptides can include chondroitinase ABC TypeI, SEQ ID NO: 1, Chondroitinase ABC Type II, SEQ ID NO: 26,Chondroitinase AC, SEQ ID NO: 5, and Chondroitinase B, SEQ ID NO: 12,hyaluronidase 1, SEQ ID NO: 30, hyaluronidase 2, SEQ ID NO: 31,hyaluronidase 3, SEQ ID NO: 32, hyaluronidase 4, SEQ ID NO: 33,optionally PH-20, SEQ ID NO: 34. Preferably the polypeptides aredeletion mutants of chondroitinases. Pharmaceutical compositions may beprepared from the mutant proteoglycan degrading molecules such aschondroitinases and or hyaluronidases; the composition may include oneor more of the deletion and substitution mutants from differentproteoglycan degrading polypeptides.

In one aspect of the invention, biologically active proteoglycandegrading polypeptide are provided having a deletion or substitution ofat least one amino acid. The mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptidesinclude those having the minimal size yet retain a degree of activity asdetermined by the enzyme assays described in the specification.Preferred deletion or substitution mutants of the proteoglycan degradingmolecule are those which degrade chondroitin and have one or more aminoacid deletions from the N-terminus, about 1-120 amino acids and/or theC-terminus, about 1-275 amino acids, more preferably the deletions arefrom a chondroitinase.

One aspect of this invention are deletion and or substitution mutants ofproteoglycan degrading polypeptides, preferably deletion mutants ofchondroitinase polypeptides, that promote neurite regeneration and orplasticity in the CNS and or promote or inhibit the diffusion oftherapeutic molecules into tissues by degradation of proteoglycans.

The mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides, preferably deletion andor substitution mutants of chondroitinases, may promote neuriteregeneration in the CNS and or promote or inhibit the diffusion oftherapeutic molecules into tissues by degradation of proteoglycans andcan be obtained through expression of suitably modified DNA sequences.Thus, the present invention also provides suitable expression vectorsand host cells compatible therewith.

In yet other aspects, the invention comprises pharmaceuticalcompositions that include biologically active polypeptide of deletionand or substitution mutants of proteoglycan degrading molecules, andpreferably deletion or substitution mutants of chondroitn degradingpolypeptides as described above, in combination with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier.

The deletion mutants and or substitution mutants of the proteoglycandegrading polypeptides of the present invention may be used to promotethe regeneration of neurites in nerve tissue. These mutants might alsobe useful in the treatment of other CNS disorders in which plasticity,regeneration, or both might be beneficial. For example CNS injuries anddisorders may include but not limited to contusion injury, traumaticbrain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, brachial plexus injury,amblioplia. Because of their proteoglycan degrading properties, they maybe used to promote the delivery of therapeutic compositions anddiagnostics to tissues and cells that are normally impermeable to them.Alternatively, they may be used to inhibit penetration of therapeuticcompositions, diagnositics or cells to tissues that use part of theextracellular matrix to enter tissues. Because of their smaller sizecompared to the full length enzyme, the deletion and or substitutionmutants are easier to make and easier to deliver to target cells andtissues. These and other even smaller deletion or substitution mutantsof proteoglycan degrading molecules could be used as potentialtherapeutics with lesser immunogenicity and similar or higher tissuepenetration ability for the treatment of CNS injury.

The deletion mutants may offer significant advantages over the fulllength proteins in the therapeutic development process. The tissuepenetration of the enzymes may be significantly effected by the proteinsize. The effect of protein size on tissue penetration is difficult topredict, but dependent on size and charge. The rate of penetrationdepends on tissue composition, charge interactions and hydrationeffects. Having active enzymes of widely ranging size may allowselection of an enzyme based on optimal tissue penetration properties,perhaps maximizing effective concentrations or limiting peripheralexposure to the enzyme.

The immune response of a mammal to a bacterial protein may or may notlimit the ability to use the protein or polypeptide as a therapeutic.The generation of antibodies to the protein can restrict repeatedexposures, as well as potentially inactivate the protein therapeuticmaking it ineffective. The smaller mutant proteoglycan degradingenzymes, preferably mutant chondroitinase enzymes, may limit theantigenic sites, limit an immune response or at least simplify theprocess of engineering an enzyme with reduced immunogenicity.

The release rate of proteins from matrices often used in sustainedrelease formulations can be dependent upon size and cross-linking. Theeffective release rate of deletion mutants of proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide from the matrix can be engineered through the manipulationof the size of the enzyme. Having a repertoire of chondroitinase enzymesof various size and charge will give an significant advantage for thedevelopment of a sustained release formulations.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1(A) shows Anti-His-tag Western Blot (top) and zymogram (bottom)demonstrating chondroitinase B deletion NΔ120 CΔ120 mutant (SEQ ID NO:17) expression activity; FIG. 1(B) shows Anti-His-tag Western Blot (top)and zymogram (bottom) demonstrating chondroitinase AC deletion NΔ50CΔ275 mutant (SEQ ID NO: 11) expression activity;

FIG. 2 shows illustrates the relative substrate degrading activity ofvarious detetion mutant polypeptides of Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO:6-11) relative to the full length Chondroitinase AC SEQ ID NO: 5;

FIG. 3(A) shows a schematic of deletion mutant polypeptides ofchondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 6-11); FIG. 3(B) shows confirmation ofchondroitinase AC deletion mutants by Western blotting;

FIG. 4. shows confirmation of protein expression and catalytic activityof Chondroitinase AC deletion mutants (SEQ ID NO: 6-11) by (A) WesternBlotting and (B) zymography;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic of deletion mutant polypeptides (SEQ ID NO:13-17) of chondroitinase B (SEQ ID NO: 12);

FIG. 6 shows confirmation of protein expression and catalytic activityof Chondroitinase B and deletion mutants (SEQ ID NO: 12-17) by (A)Western Blotting and (B) zymography;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic of Chondroitinase ABC I deletion mutantpolypeptides (SEQ ID NO: 2-4) of Chondroitinase ABC I SEQ ID NO: 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present compositions and methods are described, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to the particularmolecules, compositions, methodologies or protocols described, as thesemay vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in thedescription is for the purpose of describing the particular versions orembodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the presentinvention which will be limited only by the appended claims.

It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims,the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference toa “cell” is a reference to one or more cells and equivalents thereofknown to those skilled in the art, and so forth. Unless definedotherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the samemeanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodimentsof the present invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materialsare now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated byreference. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that theinvention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of priorinvention.

“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described eventor circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includesinstances where the event occurs or material is present and instanceswhere the event does not occur or where the material is not present.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a series of deletion andor substitution mutants of chonchoitinase genes that can be used togenerate deletion mutant enzymes with substantially lower molecularweight, but modified, and preferably equivalent or superior proteoglycandegrading catalytic activity compared to the wild type enzymes. Thedeletion and or substitution mutants can be generated by polymerasechain reaction. The resulting mutants are expressed and then enzymaticactivity of the mutant polypeptide can be confirmed by using zymography.

The mutants of the proteoglycan degrading molecules s can be used totreat mammalian CNS injuries, typically caused by trauma or disease. Inparticular, a deletion mutant of a proteoglycan degrading molecule likechondroitinase ABC Type I, (SEQ ID NO: 1), Chondroitinase ABC Type II,(SEQ ID NO: II), Chondroitinase AC, (SEQ ID NO: 5), and ChondroitinaseB, (SEQ ID NO: 12), or mammalian enzymes with chondroitinase-likeactivity such as hyaluronidase 1, (SEQ ID NO: 30), hyaluronidase 2, (SEQID NO: 31), hyaluronidase 3, (SEQ ID NO: 32), hyaluronidase 4, (SEQ IDNO: 33), and optionally PH-20, (SEQ ID NO: 34), or mixtures of any ofthese may be used to provide a therapeutic treatment for CNS injuriesand disorders which may include but not limited to contusion injury,traumatic brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, brachial plexusinjury, amblioplia, spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries includesdisease and traumatic injuries, such as the crushing of neurons broughtabout by an auto accident, fall, contusion, or bullet wound, as well asother injuries. Practice of the present methods can confer clinicalbenefits to the treated mammal, providing clinically relevantimprovements in at least one of the subject's motor coordinationfunctions and sensory perception. Clinically relevant improvements canrange from a detectable improvement to a complete restoration of animpaired or lost function of the CNS.

Mutants of proteoglycan degrading molecules, for example the deletionmutants of Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 5), may have their enzymeactivity stabilized by the addition of excipients or by lyophilization.Stabilizers may include carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, andsurfactants and are known to those skilled in the art. Examples includecarbohydrates such as sucrose, lactose, mannitol, and dextran, proteinssuch as albumin and protamine, amino acids such as arginine, glycine,and threonine, surfactants such as TWEEN® and PLURONIC®, salts such ascalcium chloride and sodium phosphate, and lipids such as fatty acids,phospholipids, and bile salts. The stabilizers may be added to theproteoglycan degrading polypeptide deletion mutants in a ratio of 1:10to 4:1, carbohydrate to polypeptide, amino acids polypeptide, proteinstabilizer to polypeptide, and salts to polypeptide 1:1000 to 1:20;surfactant to polypeptide; and 1:20 to 4:1, lipids to polypeptide. Otherstabilizers include high concentrations of ammonium sulfate, sodiumacetate or sodium sulfate, based on comparative studies with heparinaseactivity. The stabilizing agents, preferably the ammonium sulfate orother similar salt, are added to the enzyme in a ratio of 0.1 to 4.0 mgammonium sulfate/IU enzyme.

The proteoglycan degrading mutant polypeptides may be formulated ascompositions and can be administered topically, locally or systemicallyto a subject or patient. Preferably the subject is a mammal and evenmore preferably a human in need of a proteoglycan degrading compositionsuch as one of the chondroitinases. Topical or local administration iscan be used for greater control of application. One or more proteoglycandegrading mutant polypeptides, singularly or in combination, can bemixed with an appropriate pharmaceutical carrier prior toadministration. Examples of generally used pharmaceutical carriers andadditives are conventional diluents, binders, lubricants, coloringagents, disintegrating agents, buffer agents, isotonizing agents,preservants, anesthetics and the like. Specifically pharmaceuticalcarriers that may be used are dextran, serum albumin, gelatin,creatinine, polyethylene glycol, non-ionic surfactants (e.g.polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene hardenedcastor oil, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropyleneglycot) and similar compounds.

Compositions of the present invention having a proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide or a nucleic acid for expressing it may also includetheraptutic molecules, diagnostics, and agents for promoting neuritegrowth and regeneration. Examples of diagnostic molecules may includebut are not limited to fluorescent probes, radioisotopes, dyes, ormagnetic contrast agents. Compounds that facilitate plasticity, neuritegrowth, and regeneration can include but are not limited to moleculesthat over come neurite out growth inhibition, or promote nerve growthsuch as soluble NOGO antagonists like NgR₂₇₋₃₁₁, neural cell adhesionmolecules like L1, neurotrophic factors, growth factors,phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and inhibitors of MAG or MOG.Additionally, deletion mutants may be combined with other compounds thatpromote remyelination such as neuregulins (GGF2) and antibodies thatpromote remyelination.

Plasticity of the nervous system refers to any type of functionalreorganization. This reorganization occurs with development, learningand memory and brain repair. The structural changes that occur withplasticity may include synapse formation, synapse removal, neuritesprouting and may even include strengthening or weakening existingsynapses. Regeneration is generally differentiated from plasticity bythe long range growth of axons in disrupted tracts that ischaracteristic of regeneration.

The biological activity of the proteoglycan degrading molecules of thepresent invention may be used to control the degradation rate ofproteoglycans in a tissue, and for example be chosen to have a slowerdegradation activity for sensitive tissues and a higher degradation ratefor degrading potions of tissue which are thicker. The activity may becontrolled by one of more amino acid substitutions or deletions in thepolypeptide or vectors used to express them; the activity may becontrolled by the concentration or combination of proteoglycan degradingpolypeptides in a composition. The proteoglycan degrading activity maybe made to be greater or less than that of the full length polypeptide.For example, it can be made to be less than that of the full lengthChondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 5), and can be made to be less than halfas active as the full length polypeptide as shown in FIG. 2. Also, asfurther illustrated in FIG. 2, the proteoglycan degrading activity canbe made to be greater than the full length Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO:5), it can be made more active than the full length polypeptide by afactor of 1.5 or more; it can be more active than the full lengthpolypeptide by a factor of 2.5 or more.

Native or wild-type P. vulgaris bacterial strains typically can be usedto produce chondroitinases ABC I, (SEQ ID NO: 1), and chondroitinase ABCII, (SEQ ID NO: 27), and mutants of these full length polypeptide underordinary growth conditions. Wild-type strains of P. vulgaris can beinduced to produce detectable levels of chondroitinase ABCI and itsmutants by providing an inducing substrate, such as chondroitin sulfate,as the sole carbon source. Cloned chondroitinase ABC I, (SEQ ID NO: 22),chondroitinase ABC II, (SEQ ID NO: 26), and mutants of these genes in E.coli can be expressed using a heterologous expression system with anartificial inducer. Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 22), andchondroitinase B (SEQ ID NO: 26), and their mutants may be cloned fromF. heparinum and expressed in E. coli.

The full length proteoglycan degrading molecules like Chondroitinase AC(SEQ ID NO: 5), as well as the deletion and or substitution mutants ofthe proteoglycan degrading polypeptides may be cloned in a number ofbacterial as well as mammalian expression vectors. Non-limiting of thesevectors include pET15b, pET14b, pGEX 6P1, pDNA4HisMax, or pSECTag2b. Thedeletion mutants and substituted polypeptides of the present inventionexhibit the ability to degrade proteoglycans such as chondroitin CS andDS, and have a smaller size and molecular weight than the mature enzymepolypeptides which is expected to facilitate their diffusion into cells,tissues and across membranes. Expression vectors can include the nucleicacid sequence that expresses a mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptideoperably linked to an expression control sequence. Operably linked canrefer to a linkage between an expression control sequence and codingsequence, where the linkage permits the expression control sequence tocontrol the expression of the coding sequence.

The properties of the naturally occurring, substituted and or deletionmutants of the proteoglycan degrading molecules may be altered byintroducing a variety of mutations in the protein. Such alterations aresuitably introduced using the mutagenesis techniques, for example butnot limited to PRC mutagenesis, and the mutated polypeptides moleculessuitably synthesized using the expression vectors.

Mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides of the present inventioninclude deletions and or substitutions of amino acids from matureproteoglycan degrading polypeptides. Preferably the deletions orsubstitutions include any two consecutive or separated amino acids, N orC terminal amino acid deletions or substitutions, and internal aminoacid deletions or substitutions in the polypeptide. The deletions and orsubstitutions can start with any amino acid in the molecule and it ispossible to have two separated deletions in the molecule. The deletionor substitution results in mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptidethat are smaller than the mature enzyme and retain proteoglycandegrading ability. Mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides can befused or linked to another polypeptide. Polypeptide is used tounambigously encompases amino acid sequences for mutants of any lengthwhich have proteoglycan degrading activity and improve plasticityincluding those minus the signal sequence that is initially part ofpolypeptide when it is translated and that is cleaved off by ahost-translational modification.

Mutant nucleic acids of the present invention include deletions and orsubstitutions of nucleotides from genes which express the matureproteoglycan degrading polypeptides. The deletion and substitutionmutations at the DNA level are used to introduce amino acidsubstitutions and or deletions into the encoded protein. Thesenucleotide deletions and substitutions can be used to introducedeletions and or substitutions into important conformational or activeregions of the polypeptide. A nucleic acid fragment is a nucleic acidhaving fewer nucleotides than the nucleotide sequence encoding theentire amino acid sequence of a mature proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide, yet which preferably encodes a mutant polypeptide whichretains some biological activity of the full length protein, e.g., theexpressed polypeptide fragment retains the ability to induce degradationof proteoglycans, promote diffusion of therapeutics into cells andtissue, or promote regeneration of neurites. Genes encoding either N orC terminal mutants of proteoglycan degrading polypeptide domains linkedto other polypeptides can also be used in constructs for expression offusion proteins linked to mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides.

The deletion and or substitution mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptides of the present invention may also include derivatives ofthese polypeptides which have been been chemically or enzymaticallymodified, but which retain their biological activity to degradeproteoglycans. The proteoglycan degrading activity of these mutants maybe controlled depending upon the deletion and or substitution made tothe polypeptide or the nucleic acid used to express the polypeptide.Variants, fragments, or analogs of the mature proteoglycan degradingpolypeptides or nucleic acids and vectors used to express them includemutant polypeptides and nucleic acids having a sequence which differsfrom the mature polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence by one or moredeletions, substitutions, or a combination of both such that the mutantproteoglycan degrading polypeptides retain their biological activity andcan degrade proteoglycans, and preferably degrade chondroitin sulfateproteoglycans.

Due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, one of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that a large number of the nucleic acid moleculeshaving a sequence at at least 80%, preferably 85% or 90%, still morepreferably 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical to a nucleic acidsequence encoding for a mutant proteoglycan degrading molecule willencode a mutant polypeptide having proteoglycan degrading activity andpreferably chondroitin degrading ability. It will be further recognizedthat, for such nucleic acid molecules that are not degenerate variants,a reasonable number will also encode a mutant polypeptide havingproteoglycan degrading activity. This is because amino acidsubstitutions that are either less likely or not likely to significantlyeffect polypeptide activity (e.g., replacing one aliphatic amino acidwith a second aliphatic amino acid) to degrade proteoglycans andpreferably to degrade chondroitin.

Variants included in the invention may contain individual substitutions,deletions or additions to the nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences.Such changes will alter, add or delete a single amino acid or a smallpercentage of amino acids in the encoded sequence. Variants are referredto as “conservatively modified variants” where the alteration results inthe substitution of an amino acid with a chemically similar amino acid.

The discovery that the proteoglycan degrading activity of the deletionand substitution mutant polypeptides of the present invention can becontrolled to be less, about the same, or greater than the full lengthproteoglycan degrading molecule has another potential advantage. Apharmaceutical composition containing the proteoglycan degradingmolecules may be administered parenterally, intravenously orsubcutaneously. The use of a hydrogel composed of biodegradable polymerenclosing the polypeptide and continuously releasing the polypeptide islimited by the amount of polypeptide that can be enclosed in thehydrogel. Using a deletion mutant of the polypeptide with higherspecific activity implies that, on a molar basis, more of the activesubstance can be enclosed in the same volume, thereby increasing thetime between successive administrations or possibly avoiding repeatedadministrations.

Purification of the polypeptide obtained after expression is dependenton the host cell and the expression construct used. Generally, thepurification of proteoglycan deletion or substitution mutants can beperformed in the same way as the purification of native full lengthpolypeptides including the use of histidine-tags.

The deletion or substitution mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptidesand proteins are administered in an amount effective to degrade CSPGs.The polypeptides may be used to aid the diffusion of therapeutic anddiagnostic compositions to tissues and and can be used to promote therecovery of neurological function and neurite outgrowth. Once the mutantproteoglycan degrading proteins or polypeptides in the compositions havebeen purified to the extent desired, they may be suspended or diluted inan appropriate physiological carrier or excipient for SCI treatment orfor screening assays of compositions promoting neurite growth in vitroon suitable substrates like aggrecan. In models of SCI, effectiveintrathecal doses of chondroitinases in rats have been about 0.06 unitson alternate days for 14 days. A dose for a 70 kilogram human may beabout 17 Units. At about 100 Units/milligram, this would equal about 170micrograms. Doses of up to 20 Units appear safe in mammalian subjectslike rats. Compositions may include a proteoglycan degrading mutantpolypeptide, preferably mutant chondroitinase polypeptides, and morepreferably still deletion mutant chondroitinase polypeptides. Thesecompositions may also include other proteoglycan degrading molecules anddeletion and or substitution mutants of them, molecules which block theaction of neurite growth inhibitors, molecules which promote neurite oraxon adhesion, diagnostic, therapeutic, or the proteoglycan degradingmolecule mutant as part of a fusion protein. The mixture or fusionprotein may be added to a carrier or pharmaceutically acceptableexcipient can be injected, generally at concentrations in the range of 1ug to 500 mg/kg of subject. Administering the agent can be by bolusinjection, intravenous delivery, continuous infusion, sustained releasefrom implants, or sustained release pharmaceuticals. Administration byinjection, can be intramuscularly, peritoneally, subcutaneously,intravenously, intrathecally. Oral administration may include tablets orcapsules, preferably the oral dosage is a sustained release formulationfor once or twice daily administration. Percutneous administration canbe once per day, and is preferably less than once per dayadministration. Administration to the human patient or other mammaliansubject may be continued until a measurable improvement in autonomic ormotor function in the patient is achieved.

The mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides or fusion polypeptidesthat include them may also be expressed or secreted by geneticallymodified cells. The expressed deletion or substitution proteoglycandegrading polypeptide or fusion polypeptides may be harvested andpurified for a therapeutic compositon, or the genetically modified cellscan be implanted, either free or in a capsule, at or near the site ofCNS injury or a tissue into which the controlled diffusion oftherapeutic or diagnostic molecule is desired. Mutant nucleic acids forexpressing mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides are illustrated bynon-limiting examples of chondroitinase B nucleic acid mutant (SEQ IDNO: 21) which encodes for mutant polypeptide NΔ120 CΔ120 ofchondroitinase B (SEQ ID NO: 21) and chondroitinase AC nucleic acidmutant (SEQ ID NO: 19) which encodes for mutant polypeptide NΔ50 CΔ275of chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 11). A non-limiting example of a fusionnucleic acid includes a TAT-deletion mutant chondroitinase ABCI fusionDNA construct (SEQ ID NO: 23). Another example would be a nucleic acidfor TAT-chondroitinase ABCI-NΔ60 SEQ ID NO: 37) and a peptide sequencefor the expressed polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 38).

Once the mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide are administered tocells or a tissue with CSPGs, degradation of CSPGs removes theinhibitory molecules that block neurite outgrowth, and allow theregeneration of neurites into the affected area. The removal of CSPGalso promotes plasticity in the CNS. For example, the full lengthpolypeptides of chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 5), and chondroitinase B,(SEQ ID NO: 12), degrade CS and DS, respectively, resulting inunsaturated sulfated disaccharides. Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 5),cleaves CS at 1,4 glycosidic linkages between N-acetylgalactosamine andglucuronic acid in the polysaccharide backbone of CS. Cleavage occursthrough beta-elimination in a random endolytic action pattern.Chondroitinase B (SEQ ID NO: 12) cleaves the 1,4 galactosamine iduronicacid linkage in the polysaccharide backbone of DS. The cleavage of bothCS and DS occurs through a beta-elimination process which differentiatesthese enzymatic mechanisms from mammalian GAG degrading enzymes.Chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO: 1), chondroitinase ABC II (SEQ ID NO:27), are exo and endo lyases that cleave both CS and DS. The removal ofCS and DS from a glial scar permits the regeneration of neuriteoutgrowths into the injured area and promotes plasticity. For example,the proteoglycan degrading molecules illustrated in FIG. 2,Chondroitinase AC (SEQ ID NO: 5) and various mutant Chondroitinase AC(SEQ ID NO: 6-11) degrade a model proteoglycan substrate at by variousamounts. Similar results are shown by in vitro zymograph forchondroitinase B (SEQ ID NO: 12) and illustrative mutants (SEQ ID NO:13-17) in FIG. 6. It is reasonable to expect that since a proteoglycandegrading molecule like Chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO: 1) improvesfunctional recovery in rats with contusive spinal cord injury and alsofacilitates the diffusion of model compounds into brain tissue, thatmutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides and compositions containingthem can also improve functional recovery in mammalian subjects likerats with contusive spinal cord injury and may also facilitates thediffusion of model compounds into brain tissue.

The regeneration of the nerve cells and restoration of plasticity in theaffected CNS area allows the return of motor and sensory function.Clinically relevant improvement will range from a detectable improvementto a complete restoration of an impaired or lost nervous function,varying with the individual patients and injuries. The degree offunctional recovery can be demonstrated by improved corticospinal tractconduction, improved tape removal, beam walking, grid walking and pawplacement following chondroitinase treatment of a dorsal column lesion.Motor skill improvement as well as autonomic function: bowel, bladder,sensory and sexual function may also be used as measures of functionimprovement and related to molecular structure and components in thecompositions of the present invention.

A series of polynucleotides that include coding for deletion orsubstition mutants of proteoglycan degrading polypeptides may begenerated by PCR using the full length cDNAs for the proteoglycans astemplates and cloned into an expression vector such as pET15b at theNdeI and BamHI sites for expression in E. Coli. After induction of geneexpression with isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), the bacteriacan lysed by sonication with the concomitant extraction of the mutantpolypeptide with a surfactant such as Triton X-114/PBS. The majority ofrecombinant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide may be found in thecytosolic fraction of the bacterial cell lysate and chondroitinasepurification protocols can be used to obtain the mutant proteoglycandegrading enzyme with high activity at high yields. This protocol mayinclude purification by a column having anti-His antibody to selectivelybind His-tagged mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptides and may alsoincludes cation-exchange chromatography as a capture step and gelfiltration as a polishing step. After these steps, anion exchangemembrane filtration, for example Intercept Q, Millipore, can be used forendotoxin and host DNA removal. Following filtration, the proteoglycandegrading mutant polypeptides can be dialyzed into volatile buffer, pH8.0 and lyophilized to dryness. The final product is expected to bestable at −70° C. for long term storage. The pI of the purified basicproteoglycan degrading mutant polypeptide may be determined by IEF-PAGEanalysis of the samples from the crude cell lysate.

A variety of analytical methods can be used to compare the enzymaticactivity of the recombinant version the deletion or substitution mutantsof proteoglycan degrading polypeptides with those of full lengthproteoglycan degrading molecules like chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ IDNO: 1) or a commercially available form of the enzyme. The methods mayalso be adapted to evaluate the activity of fusion proteins including amutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide portion. Specific activitymeasurements may be obtained using an accepted spectrophotometric assaythat measures the change in absorbance due to the production of reactionproducts from the degradation of proteoglycans. Size exclusionchromatography can be used to compare the hydrodynamic properties of themutant enzymes.

A form of zymography can used to characterize the mature proteoglycandegrading enzyme and may be adapted for characterization of the mutantsproteoglycan degrading polypeptides. Polyacrylamide gels can bepolymerized in the presence of aggrecan, a substrate for proteoglycandegrading molecules like chondroitinase ABCI. The mutant proteoglycandegrading polypeptides, enzyme samples, may be resolved on theaggrecan-impregnated gels by electrophoresis in the presence of SDS. Thegels can then be subjected to a renaturation step wherein the SDS can beextracted and the enzymes allowed to refold. The refolded enzyme regainsactivity then digests aggrecan within the gel and the resulting loss ofcarbohydrate in that region of the gel that can be visualized by acarbohydrate-specific stain. A similar loss of carbohydrate in the gelwould be expected for equally active forms and concentration of themutant proteoglycan degrading molecules. In the case of recombinantChondroitinase ABCI, its activity can be visualized as a clear spot inthe zymogram. The zymography results are consistent with thespectrophotometric analysis.

HPLC methods may be used for detecting the four and six sulphateddisaccharides (Δ4DS and Δ6DS, respectively) liberated as a result ofmutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide digestion of CSPG. The twodisaccharides can be effectively resolved by anion exchangechromatography. The HPLC assay for the quantitation of Δ4DS and Δ6DSfrom chromatograms is expected to yield a linear relationshipproportional to the amounts injected into the HPLC. Production of Δ4DSand Δ6DS from CSPG digestion is directly related to the amount ofchondroitinase specific activity as determined by the spectrophotometricassay. This assay may be used as a sensitive and accurate method toindependently quantitate Δ4DS and Δ6DS released by mutant proteoglycandegrading polypeptide digestion of a variety of substrates and may alsobe used to determine the activity of mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptides and fusion proteins including them.

Another functional assay that can be performed to characterize mutantproteoglycan polypeptide activity is where dorsal root ganglian (DRG)neurons are plated on aggrecan or aggrecan treated with a deletion orsubstitution mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide. It is expectedthat neurons plated on aggrecan will fail to adhere to the plate andextend axons. In contrast, neurons plated on aggrecan treated with amutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide in a composition or as part ofa fusion polypeptide would be expected to adhere to the surface andextend axons. The extensive axon growth, which is observed forchondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO:1) is believed to be due to thedigestion of the carbohydrates on the aggrecan core protein whichcreates a more permissive substrate for axon growth.

Various aspects of the invention may be understood with reference to thefollowing non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLE 1

This phrophetic example illustrates the diffusion of molecules intocells and tissue using a deletion or substitution mutant of aproteoglycan degrading polypeptide in a composition.

A brain from an adult Sprague Dawley rat may be removed from the skulland hemispheres may be soaked in buffer alone or containing about 33U/ml of a mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide such as (SEQ ID NO:9) NΔ50 CΔ200 AC (T₇₄-T₅₀₀) protein for 2 hours at 37° C. Hemispherescan be rinsed and immediately placed in dye such as Eosin Y (Sigma) or asaturated solution of Congo Red (Sigma) in 70% ethanol. Slabs of tissuemay be cut and images acquired on a scanner. The penetration of the dyesinto the brain tissue may be used as an indication of the proteoglycandegrading activity of a mutant proteoglycan degrading molecule andexpectant penetration or diffusion of therapeutic and diagnosticmolecules into the same type of tissue.

EXAMPLE 2

This prophetic example illustrates a Chondroitinase ABC I Assay Protocolwhich may be modified to measure the activity of a mutant proteoglycandegrading molecule, for example a Chondroitinase ABCI deletion mutant ora fusion proteins including a deletion and or substitution mutant of aproteoglycan degrading polypeptide.

The production of reaction products from the catalytic activity of aproteoglycan degrading molecule or fusion protein can be determined by ameasurement of the absorbance of the proteoglycan degradation product ata wavelength of 232 nm. A typical reaction mixture consisted of 120 μlof reaction mixture (40 mM Tris, pH 8.0, 40 mM NaAcetate, 0.002% casein)combined with a substrate (5 μl of 50 mM chondroitin C (MW 521),chondroitin 6 SO₄, or dermatan sulfate) and 1.5 μl of chondroitinaseABCI (SEQ ID NO:1) or a mutant of chondroitinase like (SEQ ID NO:2).Reaction mixture aliquots of about 120 μl can be prepared at 30-37° C.for 3 min or longer. The product formation is monitored as an increasein absorbance at 232 nm as a function of time at a wavelength of 232 nmusing a spectrometer. The reaction may be stopped by addition of 0.1%SDS followed by boiling for 5 minutes. The observed activity may beconverted to units (μmoles of product formed per minute) using the molarabsorption coefficient for the C₄-C₅ double bond formed in the reaction(3800 cm⁻¹min⁻¹).

Knowing the molar absorption coefficient for the reaction product,measuring the change in the absorbance of the reaction product at 232 nmreading over time upon addition of a known amount of the ChondroitinaseABCI (SEQ ID NO:1) or other other mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide to the 120 μl reaction mixture with 0002% casein and achondroitin substrate added, the specific activity in umol/min/mg of themutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide can be determined. SeikagakuChondroitinase ABC I has a specific activity under these assayconditions of about 450 μmole/min/mg.

Chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO:1), digests axon growth inhibitingchondroitin present in CNS tissue and improves functional recovery inrats having contusion spinal cord injuries. It is reasonable to expectthat mutants of proteoglycan degrading molecules, such as (SEQ ID NO:11) NΔ50 CΔ275 AC (T₇₄-T₄₂₆) polypeptide that show proteoglycandegrading activity may also show some regeneration of nerves, stimulateplasticity and be useful for diffusion of agents into tissues. The modeof administration, the timing of administration and the dosage arecarried out such that the functional recovery from impairment of the CNSis enhanced by the promotion of neurite outgrowth and plasticity. It isreasonable to expect that once the deletion or substitution mutants ofproteoglycan degrading molecules such as (SEQ ID NO: 11) NΔ50 CΔ275 AC(T₇₄-T₄₂₆) protein are administered, the degradation of CSPGs can removethe inhibitory molecules in tissue that block drug diffusion, blockneurite outgrowth, and promote the regeneration of neurites or othertherapeutics into the affected area. The regeneration and plasticity ofthe nerve cells into the affected CNS area may allow the return of motorand sensory function. Clinically relevant improvements will range from adetectable improvement to a complete restoration of an impaired or lostnervous function, varying with the individual patients and injuries.

EXAMPLE 3

This example shows that deletion mutants of chondroitinase arebiologically active.

Recombinantly produced chondroitinases AC and B have shown efficacy invitro by overcoming the barrier of an inhibitory substrate border, suchas aggrecan and result in neurite extension for rat cortical neurons. Tofacilitate effective transport of the above enzymes to the injury site,deletion mutants of these chondroitinases were prepared to determine theminimally-sized polypeptides capable of degrading CSPGs. The cleavageactivity of all these mutants have been screened in vitro by zymographicassay using aggrecan as substrate. A truncated polypeptide ofchondroitinase AC (nΔ50-cΔ275) (SEQ ID NO:11) lacking 50 and 275 aminoacids from the amino and carboxy termini respectively having a molecularweight of 38 kDa compared to 75 kDa of the full length protein was foundto be about the minimal size mutant chondroitinase AC that retainsactivity as tested by zymography assay FIG. 4(B). However, an evensmaller mutant, the deletion mutant of chondroitinase B (nΔ120-cΔ120)(SEQ ID NO:17) lacking 120 amino acids from each of the amino andcarboxy termini, having a molecular weight of 26 kDa compared to 52 kDaof the full length protein has also shown to retain activity as well inzymography assay FIG. 6(B). These and other even smaller deletionmutants could be used as potential therapeutics with lesserimmunogenicity and similar or higher tissue penetration ability comparedto the mature enzyme and may be used for treatment of spinal cordinjury.

A series of chondroitinase AC and B deletion mutants were generated byPCR using the full-length cDNAs for chondroitinases AC and B astemplates and cloned in the pET15b expression vector at the NdeI andBamHI sites. Full length and deletion mutants were constructed withHistidine-tags for ease of detection and purification. Each of thesecDNAs was induced by Isopropyl-β-D-Thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG,) and theexpression was confirmed by Western blotting using anti-His antibody(Novagen). FIG. 3(A) show various non-limiting deletion mutantsschematically, and FIG. 3(B) shows confirmation of expression of thesechondroitinase AC mutant polypeptides by anti-histidine tag Westernblotting. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the same information for chondroitinase Bdeletions. Western blots demonstrate proteins of predicted size.Zymographic PAGE of deletion mutants show intense bands of substratedigestion (light) and negative carbohydrate staining.

Zymography assay. SDS-polyacrylamide gels were poured with aggrecan (85μg/ml) polymerized into it. Crude extracts of deletion mutants ofchondroitinases AC and B were run and renatured at 37° C. overnight.After separation the gel is incubated in 0.2% Cetylpyridinium for 90minutes at room temperature. The digestion of the proteoglycans by thechondroitinases is visualized by staining the gel with 0.2% ToludeneBlue in ethanol-H₂O-acetic acid (50:49:1 v/v/v) for 30 minutes anddestained with ethanol-H₂O-acetlc acid (50:49:1 v/v/v). Followingdestaining the gel is incubated overnight in a 50 μg/ml solution ofStains-all in 50% ethanol in the dark and destained with H₂O. Appearanceof clear bands on the gel shows the digestion of carboyhydrates by thechondroitinases of the CSPG leaving the core protein which remainsunstained (FIG. 4. and FIG. 6).

EXAMPLE 4

This example describes the linking of a His tag to a mutant proteoglycandegrading polypeptide.

Deletion mutants of the chondroitinase ABC I enzyme where the mutant ismissing a certain number of amino acids from the N-terminal andmaintains proteoglycan degrading activity were generated (SEQ IDNO:2-4). These N-terminal deletion maintain a histidine-tag that isattached to the N-terminus; however similarly tagged full lengthchondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO:1) did not maintain the histidine-tagafter expression.

Catalytically active deletion mutants of chondroitinase ABC I can beprepared for example but not limited to deleting 20, and 60 amino acidsrespectively from the N-terminus of the mature ABC I protein as shownfor ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY in FIG. 7. In addition, deletion of 80amino acids from the C-terminal end (SEQ ID NO:38) yields a mutant ofchondroitinase ABC I which has proteoglycan degrading activity as testedin a zymography assay. As a potential alternative to the full-lengthchondroitinase ABC I, a deletion mutant such as ABCI-NΔ20-CΔ80 with apredicted molecular weight of 89 kDa can also be made (SEQ ID NO:39).

These chondroitinase deletion mutants and mutants of other proteoglycandegrading molecules may used for construction of N-terminal fusionchimeric protein. Assay tests with these fusion polypeptides forchondroitin degradation and may be used to determine the efficacy ofmature ABCI versus various deletion mutant in compositions and fusionproteins with respect to the substrate specificity, substrate bindingand tissue penetration. Functional assay that can be performed tocharacterize the activity of mutant proteoglycan polypeptide or fusionpolypeptides including them. In this functional assay, dorsal rootganglian (DRG) neurons can be plated on aggrecan or aggrecan treatedwith a mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide or a fusion polypeptideincluding the mutant. It is expected that neurons plated on aggrecanwill failed to adhere to the plate and extend axons. In contrast,neurons plated on aggrecan treated with a mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide or a fusion polypeptide including the mutant in acomposition or as part of a fusion polypeptide would be expected toadhere to the surface and extend axons. The extensive axon growth, whichis observed for chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO:1) treated aggrecansubstrate is believed to be due to the digestion of the carbohydrates onthe aggrecan core protein which creates a more permissive substrate foraxon growth.

EXAMPLE 5

This phrophetic example describes a mutant of chondroitinase ABC I thathas native protein structure, but lacks proteoglycan degrading catalyticactivity.

This mutant may be prepared as a null or a negative control forbioassays and SCI studies. Based on the crystal structure ofchondroitinase ABC I a site-specific mutant designated H501a and Y508a(SEQ ID NO: 36) to knock out catalytic activity in the putative activesite can be prepared. Such mutants can be tested for inactivation ofcatalytic activity and SEC to compare to the wild-type enzyme. The nullactivity mutant can also be used to provide a negative control for thevarious proteoglycan degrading fusion proteins for use in bioassays andultimately in SCI animal studies.

EXAMPLE 6

This example illustrates examples of mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptides that include both substitution and deletions frompolypeptides of the present invention.

The chondroitinase ABC I sequence (SEQ ID NO: 37) is a publishedsequence for a mature chondroitinase ABC I peptide and includes theleader sequence. Chondroitinase ABC I sequence (SEQ ID NO: 37) issimilar to (SEQ ID NO: 1), however (SEQ ID NO: 1) does not have thefirst 25 amino acids of (SEQ ID NO: 37), and amino acids at positions154 and 195 of (SEQ ID NO: 37) differ from those (substitutions) foundin similar positions when (SEQ ID NO: 1) and (SEQ ID NO: 37) arealigned.

(SEQ ID NO: 38-40) illustrate deletions from either the N or C terminalof the (SEQ ID NO: 37) polypeptide and substitutions relative to (SEQ IDNO: 1). These mutant polypeptides are NΔ20 (SEQ ID NO: 38), NΔ60 (SEQ IDNO: 39) and NΔ60 CΔ80 (SEQ ID NO: 40).

EXAMPLE 7

This example illustrates non-limiting illustrations of mutantpolypeptides of the present invention fused with a membrane transductionpolypeptide such as but not limited to a polypeptide portion of a HIVTAT protein. Full sequence listings for the mutants fusion polypeptidesare provided in the Sequence listing included in the specification.

A nucleotide sequence for TAT-chondroitinase ABCI-nΔ20 (SEQ ID NO. 41),a portion of which is illustrated below, shows the TAT sequencenucleotides highlighted by underlining linked to chondroitinasenucleotides.

1 ggtc gtaaaaagcg tcgtcaacgt cgtcgtcctc ctcaatgcgc acaaaataac 61ccattagcag acttctcatc agataaaaac tcaatactaa cgttatctga taaacgtagc

The underlined nucleotides in this portion of the nucleic acid sequencedenote a TAT sequence attached to the 5′ of chondroitinase ABC I-NΔ20nucleic acid (SEQ ID NO. 47).

An amino acid sequence for TAT-chondroitinase ABCI-nΔ20 (SEQ ID NO. 42),a portion of which is shown below, illustrates the TAT sequence aminoacids highlighted by underlining at the N-terminus of chondroitinaseABCI-NΔ20 (SEQ ID NO. 2).

grkkrrqrrrppqc aqnnpladfssdknsiltlsdkrsimgnqsllwkwkggssftlhkklivptdkeaskawgrsstpvfsfwlynekpidgyltidfgeklistseaqagfkvkldftgwrtvgvslnndlenremtlnatntssdgtqdsigrslgakvdsirfkapsnvsqgeiy

A nucleotide sequence for TAT-ABCI-NΔ60 (SEQ ID NO. 43), a portion ofwhich is illustrated below, shows the N-terminal TAT (SEQ ID NO. 49)nucleotides highlighted by underlining.

ggtcgtaaaaagcgtcgtcaacgtcgtcgtcctcctcaatgc tttactttacataaaaaactgattgtccccaccgataaagaagcatctaaagcatggggacgctcatccacccccgttttctcattttggctttacaatgaaaaaccgattgatggttatcttactatcgatttcgg...

Amino acid sequence for TAT-ABCI-nΔ60 (SEQ ID NO. 44) a portion of whichis shown below, illustrates the TAT sequence (SEQ ID NO. 50) highlightedby underlining at the N-terminus of chondroitinase ABC I-NΔ60 (SEQ IDNO. 3).

grkkrrqrrrppqc ftlkkklivptdkeaskawgrsstpvfsfwlynekpidgyltidfgeklistseaqagfkvkldftgwrtvgvslnndlenremtlnatntssdgtqdsigrslgakvdsirfkapsnvsqgeiyidrimfsvddaryqwsdyqvktrlseqeiqf...

Nucleotide sequence for ABCI-TAT-C (SEQ ID NO. 45), a portion of whichis illustrated below, shows the C-terminal TAT sequence nucleotideshighlighted by underlining. The stop codon from chondroitinase ABC I(SEQ ID NO. 28) was replaced by the TAT sequence and was placed at the3′end of the TAT sequence.

...gattaatggcaaatggcaatctgctgataaaaatagtgaagtgaaatatcaggtttctggtgataacactgaactgacgtttacgagttactttggtattccacaagaaatcaaactctcgccactccct ggtcgtaaaaagcgtcgtcaacgtcgtcgtcctcctcaatgc tag

Amino acid sequence for ABCI-TAT-C (SEQ ID NO. 46), a portion of whichis shown below, illustrates the TAT sequence highlighted by underliningat the C-terminus of the mature chondroitinase ABC I (SEQ ID NO. 1).

...aekvnvsrqhqvsaenknrqptegnfssawidhstrpkdasyeymvfldatpekmgemaqkfrennglyqvlrkdkdvhiildklsnvtgyafyqpasiedkwikkvnkpaivmthrqkdtlivsavtpdlnmtrqkaatpvtinvtingkwqsadknsevkyqvsgdnteltftsyfgipqeiklsplpgrkkrrq rrrppqc

EXAMPLE 8

This example illustrates the sequence of chondroitinase polypeptideswhich may be used for deletions or substitutions in mutants of thepresent invention.

SEQ ID NO: 26 Present invention Chondroitinase ABC II Nucleic acid >_ABC II mature 2973 nt vs. >_ ABC II (present invention) 2974 nt scoringmatrix:, gap penalties: −12/−2 99.0% identity;        Global alignmentscore: 11684        10        20        30        40        50        60 806559TTACCCACTCTGTCTCATGAAGCTTTCGGCGATATTTATCTTTTTGAAGGTGAATTACCC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::: —TTACCCACTCTGTCTCATGAAGCTTTCGGCGATATTTATCTTTTTGAAGGCGAATTACCC        10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90       100       110       120 806559AATACCCTTACCACTTCAAATAATAATCAATTATCGCTAAGCAAACAGCATGCTAAAGAT ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATATCCTTACCACTTCAAATAATAATCAATTATCGCTAAGCAAACAGCATGCTAAAGAT        70        80        90       100       110       120       130       140       150       160       170       180 806559GGTGAACAATCACTCAAATGGCAATATCAACCACAAGCAACATTAACACTAAATAATATT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GGTGAACAATCACTCAAATGGCAATATCAACCACAAGCAACATTAACACTAAATAATATT       130       140       150       160       170       180       190       200       210       220       230       240 806559GTTAATTACCAAGATGATAAAAATACAGCCACACCACTCACTTTTATGATGTGGATTTAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GTTAATTACCAAGATGATAAAAATACAGCCACACCACTCACTTTTATGATGTGGATTTAT       190       200       210       220       230       240       250       260       270       280       290       300 806559AATGAAAAACCTCAATCTTCCCCATTAACGTTAGCATTTAAACAAAATAATAAAATTGCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATGAAAAACCTCAATCTTCCCCATTAACGTTAGCATTTAAACAAAATAATAAAATTGCA       250       260       270       280       290       300       310       320       330       340       350       360 806559CTAAGTTTTAATGCTGAACTTAATTTTACGGGGTGGCGAGGTATTGCTGTTCCTTTTCGT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CTAAGTTTTAATGCTGAACTTAATTTTACGGGGTGGCGAGGTATTGCTGTTCCTTTTCGT       310       320       330       340       350       360       370       380       390       400       410       420 806559GATATGCAAGGCTCTGTGACAGGTCAACTTGATCAATTAGTGATCACCGCTCCAAACCAA:::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GATATGCAAGGCTCTGCGACAGGTCAACTTGATCAATTAGTGATCACCGCTCCAAACCAA       370       380       390       400       410       420       430       440       450       460       470       480 806559GCCGGAACACTCTTTTTTGATCAAATCATCATGAGTGTACCGTTAGACAATCGTTGGGCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCCGGAACACTCTTTTTTGATCAAATCATCATGAGTGTACCGTTAGACAATCGTTGGGCA       430       440       450       460       470       480       490       500       510       520       530       540 806559GTACCTGACTATCAAACACCTTACGTAAATAACGCAGTAAACACGATGGTTAGTAAAAAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GTACCTGACTATCAAACACCTTACGTAAATAACGCAGTAAACACGATGGTTAGTAAAAAC       490       500       510       520       530       540       550       560       570       580       590       600 806559TGGAGTGCATTATTGATGTACGATCAGATGTTTCAAGCCCATTACCCTACTTTAAACTTC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TGGAGTGCATTATTGATGTACGATCAGATGTTTCAAGCCCATTACCCTACTTTAAACTTC       550       560       570       580       590       600       610       620       630       640       650       660 806559GATACTGAATTTCGCGATGACCAAACAGAAATGGCTTCGAGGTATCAGCGCTTTGAATAT::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  :::::::::::::::::: —GATACTGAATTTCGCGATGACCAAACAGAAATGGCTTCGATTTATCAGCGCTTTGAATAT       610       620       630       640       650       660       670       680       690       700       710       720 806559TATCAAGGAATTCGTAGTGATAAAAAAATTACTCCAGATATGCTAGATAAACATTTAGCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TATCAAGGAATTCGTAGTGATAAAAAAATTACTCCAGATATGCTAGATAAACATTTAGCA       670       680       690       700       710       720       730       740       750       760       770       780 806559TTATGGGAAAAATTGGTGTTAACACAACACGCTGATGGTTCAATCACAGGAAAAGCCCTT:::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::: —TTATGGGAAAAATTGGGGTTAACACAACACGCTGATGGCTCAATCACAGGAAAAGCCCTT       730       740       750       760       770       780       790       800       810       820       830       840 806559GATCACCCTAACCGGCAACATTTTATGAAAGTCGAAGGTGTATTTAGTGAGGGGACTCAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GATCACCCTAACCGGCAACATTTTATGAAAGTCGAAGGTGTATTTAGTGAGGGGACTCAA       790       800       810       820       830       840       850       860       870       880       890       900 806559AAAGCATTACTTGATGCCAATATGCTAAGAGATGTGGGCAAAACGCTTCTTCAAACTGCT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAAGCATTACTTGATGCCAATATGCTAAGAGATGTGGGCAAAACGCTTCTTCAAACTGCT       850       860       870       880       890       900       910       920       930       940       950       960 806559ATTTACTTGCGTAGCGATTCATTATCAGCAACTGATAGAAAAAAATTAGAAGAGCGCTAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATTTACTTGCGTAGCGATTCATTATCAGCAACTGGTAGAAAAAAATTAGAAGAGCGCTAT       910       920       930       940       950       960       970       980       990      1000      1010      1020 806559TTATTAGGTACTCGTTATGTCCTTGAACAAGGTTTTCACCGAGGAAGTGGTTATCAAATT::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::   ::::::::::::::::::::: —TTATTAGGTACTCGTTATGTCCTTGAACAAGGTTTTACACGAGGAAGTGGTTATCAAATT       970       980       990      1000      1010      1020      1030      1040      1050      1060      1070      1080 806559ATTAGCCATGTTGGTTACCAAACCAGAGAACTTTTTGATGCATGGTTTATTGGTCGTCAT ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::: —ATTACTCATGTTGGTTACCAAACCAGAGAACTTTTTGATGCATGGTTTATTGGCCGTCAT      1030      1040      1050      1060      1070      1080      1090      1100      1110      1120      1130      1140 806559GTTCTTGCAAAAAATAACCTTTTAGCCCCCACTCAACAAGCTATGATGTGGTACAACGCC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GTTCTTGCAAAAAATAACCTTTTAGCCCCCACTCAACAAGCTATGATGTGGTACAACGCC      1090      1100      1110      1120      1130      1140      1150      1160      1170      1180      1190      1200 806559ACAGGACGTATTTTTGAAAAAGATAATGAAATTGTTGATGCAAATGTCGATATTCTCAAT::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACAGGACGTATTTTTGAAAGAGATAATGAAATTGTTGATGCAAATGTCGATATTCTCAAT      1150      1160      1170      1180      1190      1200      1210      1220      1230      1240      1250      1260 806559ACTCAATTGCAATGGATGATAAAAAGCTTATTGATGCTACCGGATTATCAACAACGTCAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACTCAATTGCAATGGATGATAAAAAGCTTATTGATGCTACCGGATTATCAACAACGTCAA      1210      1220      1230      1240      1250      1260      1270      1280      1290      1300      1310      1320 806559CAAGCCTTAGCGCAACTGCAACGTTGGCTAAATAAAACCATTCTAAGCTCAAAAGGTGTT::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAAGCCTTAGCGCAACTGCAAAGTTGGCTAAATAAAACCATTCTAAGCTCAAAAGGTGTT      1270      1280      1290      1300      1310      1320      1330      1340      1350      1360      1370      1380 806559GCTGGCGGTTTCAAATCTGATGGTTCTATTTTTCACCATTCACAACATTACCCCGCTTAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCTGGCGGTTTCAAATCTGATGGTTCTATTTTTCACCATTCACAACATTACCCCGCTTAT      1330      1340      1350      1360      1370      1380      1390      1400      1410      1420      1430      1440 806559GCTAAAGATGCATTTGGTGGTTTAGCACCCAGTGTTTATGCATTAAGTGATTCACCTTTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCTAAAGATGCATTTGGTGGTTTAGCACCCAGTGTTTATGCATTAAGTGATTCACCTTTT      1390      1400      1410      1420      1430      1440      1450      1460      1470      1480      1490      1500 806559CGCTTATCTACTTCAGCACATGAGCGTTTAAAAGATGTTTTGTTAAAAATGCGGATCTAC::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CGCTTATCTACTTCAGCACATGAGCATTTAAAAGATGTTTTGTTAAAAATGCGGATCTAC      1450      1460      1470      1480      1490      1500      1510      1520      1530      1540      1550      1560 806559ACCAAAGAGACACAAATTCCTGCTGTATTAAGTGGTCGTCATCCAACTGGGTTGCATAAA::::::::::::::::::::::  :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACCAAAGAGACACAAATTCCTGTGGTATTAAGTGGTCGTCAPCCAACTGGGTTGCATAAA      1510      1520      1530      1540      1550      1560      1570      1580      1590      1600      1610      1620 806559ATAGGGATCGCGCCATTTAAATGGATGGCATTAGCAGGAACCCCAGATGGCAAACAAAAG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATAGGGATCGCGCCATTTAAATGGATGGCATTAGCAGGAACCCCAGATGGCAAACAAAAG      1570      1580      1590      1600      1610      1620      1630      1640      1650      1660      1670      1680 806559TTAGATACCACATTATCCGCCGCTTATGCAAAATTAGACAACAAAACGCATTTTGAAGGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTAGATACCACATTATCCGCCGCTTATGCAAACTTAGACAACAAAACGCATTTTGAAGGC      1630      1640      1650      1660      1670      1680      1690      1700      1710      1720      1730      1740 806559ATTAAGGCTGAAAGTGAGCCAGTCGGCGCATGGGCAATGAATTATGCATCAATGGCAATA ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATTAACGCTGAAAGTGAGCCAGTCGGCGCATGGGCAATGAATTATGCATCAATGGCAATA      1690      1700      1710      1720      1730      1740      1750      1760      1770      1780      1790      1800 806559CAACGAAGAGCATCGACCCAATCACCACAACAAAGCTGGCTCGCCATAGCGCGCGGTTTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAACGAAGAGCATCGACCCAATCACCACAACAAAGCTGGCTCGCCATAGCGCGCGGTTTT      1750      1760      1770      1780      1790      1800      1810      1820      1830      1840      1850      1860 806559AGCCGTTATCTTGTTGGTAATGAAAGCTATGAAAATAACAACCGTTATGGTCGTTATTTA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AGCCGTTATCTTGTTGGTAATGAAAGCTATGAAAATAACAACCGTTATGGTCGTTATTTA      1810      1820      1830      1840      1850      1860      1870      1880      1890      1900      1910      1920 806559CAATATGGACAATTGGAAATTATTCCAGCTGATTTAACTCAATCAGGGTTTAGCCATGCT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAATATGGACAATTGGAAATTATTCCAGCTGATTTAACTCAATCAGGGTTTAGCCATGCT      1870      1880      1890      1900      1910      1920      1930      1940      1950      1960      1970      1980 806559GGATGGGATTGGAATAGATATCCAGGTACAACAACTATTCATCTTCCCTATAACGAACTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GGATGGGATTGGAATAGATATCCAGGTACAACAACTATTCATCTTCCCTATAACGAACTT      1930      1940      1950      1960      1970      1980      1990      2000      2010      2020      2030      2040 806559GAAGCAAAACTTAATCAATTACCTGCTGCAGGTATTGAAGAAATGTTGCTTTCAACAGAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GAAGCAAAACTTAATCAATTACCTGCTGCAGGTATTGAAGAAATGTTGCTTTCAACAGAA      1990      2000      2010      2020      2030      2040      2050      2060      2070      2080      2090      2100 806559AGTTACTCTGGTGCAAATACCCTTAATAATAACAGTATGTTTGCCATGAAATTACACGGT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AGTTACTCTGGTGCAAATACCCTTAATAATAACAGTATGTTTGCCATGAAATTACACGGT      2050      2060      2070      2080      2090      2100      2110      2120      2130      2140      2150      2160 806559CCAAGTAAATATCAACAACAAAGCTTAAGGGCAAATAAATCCTATTTCTTATTTGATAAT : ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CACAGTAAATATCAACAACAAAGCTTAAGGGCAAATAAATCCTATTTCTTATTTGATAAT      2110      2120      2130      2140      2150      2160      2170      2180      2190      2200      2210      2220 806559AGAGTTATTGCTTTAGGCTCAGGTATTGAAAATGATGATAAACAACATACGACCGAAACA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AGAGTTATTGCTTTAGGCTCAGGTATTGAAAATGATGATAAACAACATACGACCGAAACA      2170      2180      2190      2200      2210      2220      2230      2240      2250      2260      2270      2280 806559ACACTATTCCAGTTTGCCGTCCCTAAATTACAGTCAGTGATCATTAATGGCAAAAAGGTA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACACTATTCCAGTTTGCCGTCCCTAAATTACAGTCAGTGATCATTAATGGCAAAAAGGTA      2230      2240      2250      2260      2270      2280      2290      2300      2310      2320      2330      2340 806559AATCAATTAGATACTCAATTAACTTTAAATAATGCAGATACATTAATTGATCCTGCCGGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATCAATTAGATACTCAATTAACTTTAAATAATGCAGATACATTAATTGATCCTGCCGGC      2290      2300      2310      2320      2330      2340      2350      2360      2370      2380      2390      2400 806559AATTTATATAAGCTCACTAAAGGACAAACTGTAAAATTTAGTTATCAAAAACAACATTCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATTTATATAAGCTCACTAAAGGACAAACTGTAAAATTTAGTTATCAAAAACAACATTCA      2350      2360      2370      2380      2390      2400      2410      2420      2430      2440      2450      2460 806559CTTGATGATAGAAATTCAAAACCAACAGAACAATTATTTGCAACAGCTGTTATTTCTCAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CTTGATGATAGAAATTCAAAACCAACAGAACAATTATTTGCAACAGCTGTTATTTCTCAT      2410      2420      2430      2440      2450      2460      2470      2480      2490      2500      2510      2520 806559GGTAAGGCACCGAGTAATGAAAATTATGAATATGCAATAGCTATCGAAGCACAAAATAAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GGTAAGGCACCGAGTAATGAAAATTATGAATATGCAATAGCTATCGAAGCACAAAATAAT      2470      2480      2490      2500      2510      2520      2530      2540      2550      2560      2570      2580 806559AAAGCTCCCGAATACACAGTATTACAACATAATGATCAGCCCCATGCGGTAAAAGATAAA ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAAGCTCCCAAATACACAGTATTACAACATAATGATCAGCTCCATGCGGTAAAAGATAAA      2530      2540      2550      2560      2570      2580      2590      2600      2610      2620      2630 806559ATAACCCAAGAAGAGGGATATGCTTTTTTTGAAGCCACTAAGTTAAAATCAGCGGATGC::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATAACCCAAGAAGAGGGATATGGTTTTTTTGAAGCCACTAAGTTAAAATCAGCGGATGC      2590      2600      2610      2620      2630      2640    2640      2650      2660      2670      2680      2690 806559AACATTATTATCCAGTGATGCGCCGGTTATGGTCATGGCTAAAATACAAAATCAGCAATT       :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      AACATTATTATCCAGTGATGCGCCGGTTATGGTCATGGCTAAAATACAAAATCAGCAATT             2650      2660      2670      2680      2690      2700    2700      2710      2720      2730      2740      2750 806559AACATTAAGTATTGTTAATCCTGATTTAAATTTATATCAAGGTAGAGAAAAAGATCAATT       :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      AACATTAAGTATTGTTAATCCTGATTTAAATTTATATCAAGGTAGAGAAAAAGATCAATT             2710      2720      2730      2740      2750      2760    2760      2770      2780      2790      2800      2810 806559TGATGATAAAGGTAATCAAATCGAAGTTAGTGTTTATTCTCGTCATTGGCTTACAGCAGA       :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      TGATGATAAAGGTAATCAAATCGAAGTTAGTGTTTATTCTCGTCATTGGCTTACAGCAGA             2770      2780      2790      2800      2810      2820    2820      2830      2840      2850      2860      2870 806559ATCGCAATCAACAAATAGTACTATTACCGTAAAAGGAATATGGAAATTAACGACACCTCA       :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      ATCGCAATCAACAAATAGTACTATTACCGTAAAAGGAATATGGAAATTAACGACACCTCA             2830      2840      2850      2860      2870      2880    2880      2890      2900      2910      2920      2930 806559ACCCGGTGTTATTATTAAGCACCACAATAACAACACTCTTATTACGACAACAACCATACA       :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      ACCCGGTGTTATTATTAAGCACCACAATAACAACACTCTTATTACGACAACAACCATACA             2890      2900      2910      2920      2930      2940    2940      2950      2960      2970 806559GGCAACACCTACTGTTATTAATTTAGTTAAGTAA       ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::—      GGCAACACCTACTGTTATTAATTTAGTTAAGTAA             2950      2960      2970The above discrepancies at the nucleotide level resulted in 98.3%identity at the amino acid level and the substituted residues are markedin red in the following.

SEQ ID NO: 27 Present Invention Chondroitinase ABC II protein >_ ABC(present invention) 990 aa vs. >_ ABC (mature) 990 aa     scoringmatrix:, gap penalties: −12/−2 98.3% identity;       Global alignmentscore: 6393         10        20        30        40        50        60457676 LPTLSHEAFGDIYLFEGELPNILTTSNNNQLSLSKQHAKDGEQSLKWQYQPQATLTLNNI::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —LPTLSHEAFGDIYLFEGELPNTLTTSNNNQLSLSKQHAKDGEQSLKWQYQPQATLTLNNI        10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90       100       110       120 457676VNYQDDKNTATPLTFMMWIYNEKPQSSPLTLAFKQNNKIALSFNAELNFTGWRGIAVPFR:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —VNYQDDKNTATPLTFMMWIYNEKPQSSPLTLAFKQNNKIALSFNAELNFTGWRGIAVPFR        70        80        90       100       110       120       130       140       150       160       170       180 457676DMQGSATGQLDQLVITAPNQAGTLFFDQIIMSVPLDNRWAVPDYQTPYVNNAVNTMVSKN:::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —DMQGSVTGQLDQLVITAPNQAGTLFFDQIIMSVPLDNRWAVPDYQTPYVNNAVNTMVSKN       130       140       150       160       170       180       190       200       210       220       230       240 457676WSALLMYDQMFQAHYPTLNFDTEFRDDQTEMASIYQRFEYYQGIRSDKKIPPDMLDKHLA::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::: —WSALLMYDQMFQAHYPTLNFDTEFRDDQTEMASRYQRFEYYQGIRSDKKIPPDMLDKHLA       190       200       210       220       230       240       250       260       270       280       290       300 457676LWEKLGLTQHADGSITGKALDHPNRQHFMXVEGVFSEGTQKALLDANMLRDVGKTLLQTA ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —LWEKLVLTQHADGSITGKALDHPNRQHFMKVEGVFSEGTQKALLDANMLRDVGKTLLQTA       250       260       270       280       290       300       310       320       330       340       350       360 457676IYLRSDSLSATGRXKLEERYLLGTRYVLEQGFTRGSGYQIITHVGYQTRELFDAWFIGRH ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —IYLRSDSLSATDRKKLEERYLLGTRYVLEQGFHRGSGYQIISHVGYQTRELFDAWFIGRH       310       320       330       340       350       360       370       380       390       400       410       420 457676VLAKNNLLAPTQQAMMWYNATGRIFEKDNEIVDANVDILNTQLQWMIKSLLMLPDYQQRQ:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —VLAKNNLLAPTQQAMMWYNATGRIFEKNNEIVDANVDILNTQLQWMIKSLLMLPDYQQRQ       370       380       390       400       410       420       430       440       450       460       470       480 457676QALAQLQSWLNKTILSSKGVAGGFKSDGSIFHHSQHYPAYAKDAFGGLAPSVYALSDSPF ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —QALAQLQRWLNKTILSSKGVAGGFKSDGSIFHHSQHYPAYAKDAFGGLAPSVYALSDSPF       430       440       450       460       470       480       490       500       510       520       530       540 457676RLSTSAHEHLKDVLLKMRIYTKETQIPVVLSGRHPTGLHKIGIAPFKWMALAGTPDGKQK::::::::.::::::::::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —RLSTSAHERLKDVLLKMRIYTKETQIPAVLSGRHPTGLHKIGIAPFKWMALAGTPDGKQK       490       500       510       520       530       540       550       560       570       580       590       600 457676LDTTLSAAYANLDNKTHFEGINAESEPVGAWANNYASMAIQRRASTQSPQQSWLAIARGF::::::::::.::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —LDTTLSAAYAKDNKTHFEGIKAESEPVGAWANNYASMAIQRRASTQSPQQSWLAIARGF       550       560       570       580       590       600       610       620       630       640       650       660 457676SRYLVGNESYENNNRYGRYLQYGQLEIIPADLTQSGFSHAGWDWNRYPGTTTIHLPYNEL:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —SRYLVGNESYENNNRYGRYLQYGQLEIIPADLTQSGFSHAGWDWNRYPGTTTIHLPYNEL       610       620       630       640       650       660       670       680       690       700       710       720 457676EAKLNQLPAAGIEEMLLSTESYSGANTLNNNSMFAMKLHGHSKYQQQSLRANKSYFLFDN:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::: —EAKLNQLPAAGIEEMLLSTESYSGANTLNNNSMFAMKLHGPSKYQQQSLRANKSYFLFDN       670       680       690       700       710       720       730       740       750       760       770       780 457676RVIALGSGIENDDKQHTTEPTLFQFAVPKLQSVIINGKKVNQLDTQLTLNNADTLIDPAG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —RVIALGSGIENDDKQHTTETTLFQFAVPKLQSVIINGRKVNQLDTQLTLNNADTLIDPAG       730       740       750       760       770       780       790       800       810       820       830       840 457676NLYKLTKGQTVKFSYQKQHSLDDRNSKPTEQLFATAVISHGKAPSNENYEYAIAIEAQNN:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —NLYKLTKGQTVKFSYQKQHSLDDRNSKPTEQLFATAVISHGKAPSNENYEYAIAIEAQNN       790       800       810       820       830       840       850       860       870       880       890       900 457676KAPKYTVLQHNDQLHAVKDKITQEEGYGFFEATKLKSADATLLSSDAPVMVMAKIQNQQL:::.::::::::: :::::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —KAPEYTVLQHNDQPHAVKDKITQEEGYAFFEATRLKSADATLLSSDAPVMVMAKIQNQQL       850       860       870       880       890       900       910       920       930       940       950       960 457676TLSIVNPDLNLYQGREKDQFDDKGNQIEVSVYSRHWLTAESQSTNSTITVKGIWKLTTPQ:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TLSIVNPDLNLYQGREKDQFDDKGNQIEVSVYSRHWLTAESQSTNSTITVKGIWKLTTPQ       910       920       930       940       950       960       970       980       990 457676 PGVIIKHHNNNTLITPTTIQATPTVINLVK:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: — PGVIIKHHNNNTLITTTTIQATPTVINLVK       970       980       990 SEQ ID NO: 28 Present InventionChondroitinase ABC I nucleic acid >_ ABCI present invention 2994 ntvs. >_ ABCI mature 2994 nt     scoring matrix:, gap penalties: −12/−299.7% identity;      Global alignment score: 11909        10        20        30        40        50        60 806559GCCACCAGCAATCCTGCATTTGATCCTAAAAATCTGATGCAGTCAGAAATTTACCATTTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCCACCAGCAATCCTGCATTTGATCCTAAAAATCTGATGCAGTCAGAAATTTACCATTTT        10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90       100       110       120 806559GCACAAAATAACCCATTAGCAGACTTCTCATCAGATAAAAACTCAATACTAACGTTATCT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCACAAAATAACCCATTAGCAGACTTCTCATCAGATAAAAACTCAATACTAACGTTATCT        70        80        90       100       110       120       130       140       150       160       170       180 806559GATAAACGTAGCATTATGGGAAACCAATCTCTTTTATGGAAATGGAAAGGTGGTAGTAGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GATAAACGTAGCATTATGGGAAACCAATCTCTTTTATGGAAATGGAAACGTGGTAGTAGC       130       140       150       160       170       180       190       200       210       220       230       240 806559TTTACTTTACATAAAAAACTGATTGTCCCCACCGATAAAGAAGCATCTAAAGCATGGGGA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTTACTTTACATAAAAAACTGATTGTCCCCACCGATAAAGAAGCATCTAAAGCATGGGGA       190       200       210       220       230       240       250       260       270       280       290       300 806559CGCTCATCCACCCCCGTTTTCTCATTTTGGCTTTACAATGAAAAACCGATTGATGGTTAT ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CGCTCATCTACCCCCGTTTTCTCATTTTGGCTTTACAATGAAAAACCGATTGATGGTTAT       250       260       270       280       290       300       310       320       330       340       350       360 806559CTTACTATCGATTTCGGAGAAAAACTCATTTCAACCAGTGAGGCTCAGGCAGGCTTTAAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CTTACTATCGATTTCGGAGAAAAACTCATTTCAACCAGTGAGGCTCAGGCAGGCTTTAAA       310       320       330       340       350       360       370       380       390       400       410       420 806559GTAAAATTAGATTTCACTGGCTGGCGTACTGTGGGAGTCTCTTTAAATAACGATCTTGAA::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GTAAAATTAGATTTCACTGGCTGGCGTGCTGTGGGAGTCTCTTTAAATAACGATCTTGAA       370       380       390       400       410       420       430       440       450       460       470       480 806559AATCGAGAGATGACCTTAAATGCAACCAATACCTCCTCTGATGGTACTCAAGACAGCATT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATCGAGAGATGACCTTAAATGCAACCAATACCTCCTCTGATGGTACTCAAGACAGCATT       430       440       450       460       470       480       490       500       510       520       530       540 806559GGGCGTTCTTTAGGTGCTAAAGTCGATAGTATTCGTTTTAAAGCGCCTTCTAATGTGAGT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GGGCGTTCTTTAGGTGCTAAAGTCGATAGTATTCGTTTTAAAGCGCCTTCTAATGTGAGT       490       500       510       520       530       540       550       560       570       580       590       600 806559CAGGGTGAAATCTATATCGACCGTATTATGTTTTCTGTCGATGATGCTCGCTACCAATGG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAGGGTGAAATCTATATCGACCGTATTATGTTTTCTGTCGATGATGCTCGCTACCAATGG       550       560       570       580       590       600       610       620       630       640       650       660 806559TCTGATTATCAAGTAAAAACTCGCTTATCAGAACCTGAAATTCAATTTCACAACGTAAAG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCTGATTATCAAGTAAAAACTCGCTTATCAGAACCTGAAATTCAATTTCACAACGTAAAG       610       620       630       640       650       660       670       680       690       700       710       720 806559CCACAACTACCTGTAACACCTGAAAATTTAGCGGCCATTGATCTTATTCGCCAACGTCTA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CCACAACTACCTGTAACACCTGAAAATTTAGCGGCCATTGATCTTATTCGCCAACGTCTA       670       680       690       700       710       720       730       740       750       760       770       780 806559ATTAATGAATTTGTCGGAGGTGAAAAAGAGACAAACCTCGCATTAGAAGAGAATATCAGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATTAATGAATTTGTCGGAGGTGAAAAAGAGACAAACCTCGCATTAGAAGAGAATATCAGC       730       740       750       760       770       780       790       800       810       820       830       840 806559AAATTAAAAAGTGATTTCGATGCTCTTAATACTCACACTTTAGCAAATGGTGGAACGCAA::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAATTAAAAAGTGATTTCGATGCTCTTAATATTCACACTTTAGCAAATGGTGGAACGCAA       790       800       810       820       830       840       850       860       870       880       890       900 806559GGCAGACATCTGATCACTGATAAACAAATCATTATTTATCAACCAGAGAATCTTAACTCT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GGCAGACATCTGATCACTGATAAACAAATCATTATTTATCAACCAGAGAATCTTAACTCC       850       860       870       880       890       900       910       920       930       940       950       960 806559CAAGATAAACAACTATTTGATAATTATGTTATTTTAGGTAATTACACGACATTAATGTTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAAGATAAACAACTATTTGATAATTATGTTATTTTAGGTAATTACACGACATTAATGTTT       910       920       930       940       950       960       970       980       990      1000      1010      1020 806559AATATTAGCCGTGCTTATGTGCTGGAAAAAGATCCCACACAAAAGGCGCAACTAAAGCAG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATATTAGCCGTGCTTATGTGCTGGAAAAAGATCCCACACAAAAGGCGCAACTAAAGCAG       970       980       990      1000      1010      1020      1030      1040      1050      1060      1070      1080 806559ATGTACTTATTAATGACAAAGCATTTATTAGATCAAGGCTTTGTTAAAGGGAGTGCTTTA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATGTACTTATTAATGACAAAGCATTTATTAGATCAAGGCTTTGTTAAAGGGAGTGCTTTA      1030      1040      1050      1060      1070      1080      1090      1100      1110      1120      1130      1140 806559GTGACAACCCATCACTGGGGATACAGTTCTCGTTGGTGGTATATTTCCACGTTATTAATG:::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GTGACAACCCATCACTGGGGATACAGTTCTCGTTGGTGGTATATTTCCACGTTATTAATG      1090      1100      1110      1120      1130      1140      1150      1160      1170      1180      1190      1200 806559TCTGATGCACTAAAAGAAGCGAACCTACAAACTCAAGTTTATGATTCATTACTGTGGTAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCTGATGCACTAAAAGAAGCGAACCTACAAACTCAAGTTTATGATTCATTACTGTGGTAT      1150      1160      1170      1180      1190      1200      1210      1220      1230      1240      1250      1260 806559TCACGTGAGTTTAAAAGTAGTTTTGATATGAAAGTAAGTGCTGATAGCTCTGATCTAGAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCACGTGAGTTTAAAAGTAGTTTTGATATGAAAGTAAGTGCTGATAGCTCTGATCTAGAT      1210      1220      1230      1240      1250      1260      1270      1280      1290      1300      1310      1320 806559TATTTCAATACCTTATCTCGCCAACATTTAGCCTTATTACTACTAGAGCCTGATGATCAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TATTTCAATACCTTATCTCGCCAACATTTAGCCTTATTATTACTAGAGCCTGATGATCAA      1270      1280      1290      1300      1310      1320      1330      1340      1350      1360      1370      1380 806559AAGCGTATCAACTTAGTTAATACTTTCAGCCATTATATCACTGGCGCATTAACGCAAGTG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAGCGTATCAACTTAGTTAATACTTTCAGCCATTATATCACTGGCGCATTAACGCAAGTG      1330      1340      1350      1360      1370      1380      1390      1400      1410      1420      1430      1440 806559CCACCGGGTGGTAAAGATGGTTTACGCCCTGATGGTACAGCATGGCGACATGAAGGCAAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CCACCGGGTGGTAAAGATGGTTTACGCCCTGATGGTACAGCATGGCGACATGAAGGCAAC      1390      1400      1410      1420      1430      1440      1450      1460      1470      1480      1490      1500 806559TATCCGGGCTACTCTTTCCCAGCCTTTAAAAATGCCTCTCAGCTTATTTATTTATTACGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TATCCGGGCTACTCTTTCCCAGCCTTTAAAAATGCCTCTCAGCTTATTTATTTATTACGC      1450      1460      1470      1480      1490      1500      1510      1520      1530      1540      1550      1560 806559GATACACCATTTTCAGTGGGTGAAAGTGGTTGGAATAGCCTGAAAAAAGCGATGGTTTCA::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::: —GATACACCATTTTCAGTGGGTGAAAGTGGTTGGAATAACCTGAAAAAAGCGATGGTTTCA      1510      1520      1530      1540      1550      1560      1570      1580      1590      1600      1610      1620 806559GCGTGGATCTACAGTAATCCAGAAGTTGGATTACCGCTTGCAGGAAGACACCCTCTTAAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCGTGGATCTACAGTAATCCAGAAGTTGGATTACCGCTTGCAGGAAGACACCCTCTTAAC      1570      1580      1590      1600      1610      1620      1630      1640      1650      1660      1670      1680 806559TCACCTTCGTTAAAATCAGTCGCTCAAGGCTATTACTGGCTTGCCATGTCTGCAAAATCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCACCTTCGTTAAAATCAGTCGCTCAAGGCTATTACTGGCTTGCCATGTCTGCAAAATCA      1630      1640      1650      1660      1670      1680      1690      1700      1710      1720      1730      1740 806559TCGCCTGATAAAACACTTGCATCTATTTATCTTGCGATTAGTGATAAAACACAAAATGAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCGCCTGATAAAACACTTGCATCTATTTATCTTGCGATTAGTGATAAAACACAAAATGAA      1690      1700      1710      1720      1730      1740      1750      1760      1770      1780      1790      1800 806559TCAACTGCTATTTTTGGAGAAACTATTACACCAGCGTCTTTACCTCAAGGTTTCTATGCC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCAACTGCTATTTTTGGAGAAACTATTACACCAGCGTCTTTACCTCAAGGTTTCTATGCC      1750      1760      1770      1780      1790      1800      1810      1820      1830      1840      1850      1860 806559TTTAATGGCGGTGCTTTTGGTATTCATCGTTGGCAAGATAAAATGGTGACACTGAAAGCT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTTAATGGCGGTGCTTTTGGTATTCATCGTTGGCAAGATAAAATGGTGACACTGAAAGCT      1810      1820      1830      1840      1850      1860      1870      1880      1890      1900      1910      1920 806559TATAACACCAATGTTTGGTCATCTGAAATTTATAACAAAGATAACCGTTATGGCCGTTAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TATAACACCAATGTTTGGTCATCTGAAATTTATAACAAAGATAACCGTTATGGCCGTTAC      1870      1880      1890      1900      1910      1920      1930      1940      1950      1960      1970      1980 806559CAAAGTCATGGTGTCGCTCAAATAGTGAGTAATGGCTCGCAGCTTTCACAGGGCTATCAG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CAAAGTCATGGTGTCGCTCAAATAGTGAGTAATGGCTCGCAGCTTTCACAGGGCTATCAG      1930      1940      1950      1960      1970      1980      1990      2000      2010      2020      2030      2040 806559CAAGAAGGTTGGGATTGGAATAGAATGCCAGGGGCAACCACTAT CCACCTTCCTCTTAAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::: —CAAGAAGGTTGGGATTGGAATAGAATGCAAGGGGCAACCACTAT TCACCTTCCTCTTAAA      1990      2000      2010      2020      2030      2040      2050      2060      2070      2080      2090      2100 806559GACTTAGACAGTCCTAAACCTCATACCTTAATGCAACGTGGAGAGCGTGGATTTAGCGGA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GACTTAGACAGTCCTAAACCTCATACCTTAATGCAACGTGGAGAGCGTGGATTTAGCGGA      2050      2060      2070      2080      2090      2100      2110      2120      2130      2140      2150      2160 806559ACATCATCCCTTGAAGGTCAATATGGCATGATGGCATTCGATCTTATTTATCCCGCCAAT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACATCATCCCTTGAAGGTCAATATGGCATGATGGCATTCGATCTTATTTATCCCGCCAAT      2110      2120      2130      2140      2150      2160      2170      2180      2190      2200      2210      2220 806559CTTGAGCGTTTTGATCCTAATTTCACTGCGAAAAAGAGTGTATTAGCCGCTGATAATCAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —CTTGAGCGTTTTGATCCTAATTTCACTGCGAAAAAGAGTGTATTAGCCGCTGATAATCAC      2170      2180      2190      2200      2210      2220      2230      2240      2250      2260      2270      2280 806559TTAATTTTTATTGGTAGCAATATAAATAGTAGTGATAAAAATAAAAATGTTGAAACGACC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTAATTTTTATTGGTAGCAATATAAATAGTAGTGATAAAAATAAAAATGTTGAAACGACC      2230      2240      2250      2260      2270      2280      2290      2300      2310      2320      2330      2340 806559TTATTCCAACATGCCATTACTCCAACATTAAATACCCTTTGGATTAATGGACAAAAGATA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTATTCCAACATGCCATTACTCCAACATTAAATACCCTTTGGATTAATGGACAAAAGATA      2290      2300      2310      2320      2330      2340      2350      2360      2370      2380      2390      2400 806559GAAAACATGCCTTATCAAACAACACTTCAACAAGGTGATTGGTTAATTGATAGCAATGGC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GAAAACATGCCTTATCAAACAACACTTCAACAAGGTGATTGGTTAATTGATAGCAATGGC      2350      2360      2370      2380      2390      2400      2410      2420      2430      2440      2450      2460 806559AATGGTTACTTAATTACTCAAGCAGAAAAAGTAAATGTAAGTCGCCAACATCAGGTTTCA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AATGGTTACTTAATTACTCAAGCAGAAAAAGTAAATGTAAGTCGCCAACATCAGGTTTCA      2410      2420      2430      2440      2450      2460      2470      2480      2490      2500      2510      2520 806559GCGGAAAATAAAAATCGCCAACCGACAGAAGGAAACTTTAGCTCGGCATGGATCGATCAC:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —GCGGAAAATAAAAATCGCCAACCGACAGAAGGAAACTTTAGCTCGGCATGGATCGATCAC      2470      2480      2490      2500      2510      2520      2530      2540      2550      2560      2570      2580 806559AGCACTCGCCCCAAAGATGCCAGTTATGAGTATATCGTCTTTTTAGATGCGACACCTGAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AGCACTCGCCCCAAAGATGCCAGTTATGAGTATATGGTCTTTTTAGATGCGACACCTGAA      2530      2540      2550      2560      2570      2580      2590      2600      2610      2620      2630      2640 806559AAAATGGGAGAGATGGCACAAAAATTCCGTGAAAATAATGGGTTATATCAGGTTCTTCGT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAAATGGGAGAGATGGCACAAAAATTCCGTGAAAATAATGGGTTATATCAGGTTCTTCGT      2590      2600      2610      2620      2630      2640      2650      2660      2670      2680      2690      2700 806559AAGGATAAAGACGTTCATATTATTCTCGATAAACTCAGCAATGTAACGGGATATGCCTTT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —AAGGATAAAGACGTTCATATTATTCTCGATAAACTCAGCAATGTAACGGGATATGCCTTT      2650      2660      2670      2680      2690      2700      2710      2720      2730      2740      2750      2760 806559TATCAGCCAGCATCAATTGAAGACAAATGGATCAAAAAGGTTAATAAACCTGCAATTGTG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TATCAGCCAGCATCAATTGAAGACAAATGGATCAAAAAGGTTAATAAACCTGCAATTGTG      2710      2720      2730      2740      2750      2760      2770      2780      2790      2800      2810      2820 806559ATGACTCATCGACAAAAAGACACTCTTATTGTCAGTGCAGTTACACCTGATTTAAATATG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATGACTCATCGACAAAAAGACACTCTTATTGTCAGTGCAGTTACACCTGATTTAAATATG      2770      2780      2790      2800      2810      2820      2830      2840      2850      2860      2870      2880 806559ACTCGCCAAAAAGCAGCAACTCCTGTCACCATCAATGTCACGATTAATGGCAAATGGCAA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ACTCGCCAAAAAGCAGCAACTCCTGTCACCATCAATGTCACGATTAATGGCAAATGGCAA      2830      2840      2850      2860      2870      2880      2890      2900      2910      2920      2930      2940 806559TCTGCTGATAAAAATAGTGAAGTGAAATATCAGGTTTCTGGTGATAACACTGAACTGACG:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TCTGCTGATAAAAATAGTGAAGTGAAATATCAGGTTTCTGGTGATAACACTGAACTGACG      2890      2900      2910      2920      2930      2940      2950      2960      2970      2980      2990 806559TTTACGAGATACTTTGGTATTCCACAAGAAATCAAACTCTCGCCACTCCCTTGA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —TTTACGAGTTACTTTGGTATTCCACAAGAAATCAAACTCTCGCCACTCCCTTGA      2950      2960      2970      2980      2990The sequence identity at the amino acid level is shown below:

SEQ ID NO: 29 Present Invention Chondroitinase ABC I protein >_ ABCIPresent invention 997 aa vs. >_ ABCI mature 997 aa     scoring matrix:gap penalties: −12/−2 99.5% identity;      Global alignment score: 6595        10        20        30        40        50        60 365019ATSNPAFDPKNLMQSEIYHFAQNNPLADFSSDKNSILTLSDKRSIMGNQSLLWKWKGGSS:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ATSNPAFDPKNLMQSEIYHFAQNNPLADFSSDKNSILTLSDKRSIMGNQSLLWKWKGGSS        10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90       100       110       120 365019FTLHKKLIVPTDKEASKAWGRSSTPVFSFWLYNEKPIDGYLTIDFGEKLISTSEAQAGFK:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —FTLHKKLIVPTDKEASKAWGRSSTPVFSFWLYNEKPIDGYLTIDFGEKLISTSEAQAGFK        70        80        90       100       110       120       130       140       150       160       170       180 365019VKLDFTGWRTVGVSLNNDLENREMTLNATNTSSDGTQDSIGRSLGAKVDSIRFKAPSNVS:::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —VKLDFTGWRAVGVSLNNDLENREMTLNATNTSSDGTQDSIGRSLGAKVDSIRFKAPSNVS       130       140       150       160       170       180       190       200       210       220       230       240 365019QGEIYIDRIMFSVDDARYQWSDYQVKTRLSEPEIQFHNVKPQLPVTPENLAAIDLIRQRL:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —QGEIYIDRIMFSVDDARYQWSOYQVKTRLSEPEIQFHNVKPQLPVTPENLAAIDLIRQRL       190       200       210       220       230       240       250       260       270       280       290       300 365019INEFVGGEKETNLALEENISKLKSDFDALNTHTLANGGTQGRHLITDKQIIIYQPENLNS:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —INEFVGGEKETNLALEENISKLKSDFDALNIHTLANGGTQGRHLITDKQIIIYQPENLNS       250       260       270       280       290       300       310       320       330       340       350       360 365019QDKQLFDNYVILGNYTTLMFNISRAYVLEKDPTQKAQLKQMYLLMTKHLLDQGFVKGSAL:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —QDKQLFDNYVILGNYTTLMFNISRAYVLEKDPTQKAQLKQMYLLMTKHLLDQGFVKGSAL       310       320       330       340       350       360       370       380       390       400       410       420 365019VTTHHWGYSSRWWYISTLLMSDALKEANLQTQVYDSLLWYSREFKSSFDMKVSADSSDLD:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —VTTHHWGYSSRWWYISTLLMSDALKEANLQTQVYDSLLWYSREFKSSFDMKVSADSSDLD       370       380       390       400       410       420       430       440       450       460       470       480 365019YFNTLSRQHLALLLLEPDDQKRINLVNTFSHYITGALTQVPPGGKDGLRPDGTAWRHEGN:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —YFNTLSRQHLALLLLEPDDQKRINLVNTFSHYITGALTQVPPGGKDGLRPDGTAWRHEGN       430       440       450       460       470       480       490       500       510       520       530       540 365019YPGYSFPAFKNASQLIYLLRDTPFSVGESGWNSLKKAMVSAWIYSNPEVGLPLAGRHPLN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —YPGYSFPAFKNASQLIYLLRDTPFSVGESGWNNLKKAMVSAWIYSNPEVGLPLAGRHPFN       490       500       510       520       530       540       550       560       570       580       590       600 365019SPSLKSVAQGYYWLAMSAKSSPDKTLASIYLAISDKTQNESTAIFGETITPASLPQGFYA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —SPSLKSVAQGYYWLAMSAKSSPDKTLASIYLAISDKTQNESTAIFGETITPASLPQGFYA       550       560       570       580       590       600       610       620       630       640       650       660 365019FNGGAFGIHRWQDKMVTLKAYNTNVWSSEIYNKDNRYGRYQSHGVAQIVSNGSQLSQGYQ:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —FNGGAFGIHRWQDKMVTLKAYNTNVWSSEIYNKDNRYGRYQSHGVAQIVSNGSQLSQGYQ       610       620       630       640       650       660       670       680       690       700       710       720 365019QEGWDWNRMPGATTIHLPLKDLDSPKPHTLMQRGERGFSGTSSLEGQYGMMAFDLIYPAN ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —QEGWDWNRMQGATTIHLPLKDLDSPKPHTLMQRGERGFSGTSSLEGQYGMMAFDLIYPAN       670       680       690       700       710       720       730       740       750       760       770       780 365019LERFDPNFTAKKSVLPADNHLIFIGSNINSSDKNKNVETTLFQHAITPTLNTLWINGQKI:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —LERFDPNFTAKKSVLAADNHLIFIGSNINSSDKNKNVETTLFQHAITPTLNTLWINGQKI       730       740       750       760       770       780       790       800       810       820       830       840 365019ENMPYQTTLQQGDWLIDSNGNGYLITQAEKVNVSRQHQVSAENKNRQPTEGNFSSAWIDH:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —ENMPYQTTLQQGDWLIDSNGNGYLITQAEKVNVSRQHQVSAENKNRQPTEGNFSSAWIDH       790       800       810       820       830       840       850       860       870       880       890       900 365019STRPKDASYEYMVFLDATPEKMGEMAQKFRENNGLYQVLRKDKDVHIILDKLSNVTGYAF:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —STRPKDASYEYMVFLDATPEKMGEMAQKFRENNGLYQVLRKDKDVHIILDKLSNVTGYAF       850       860       870       880       890       900       910       920       930       940       950       960 365019YQPASIEDKWIKKVNKPAIVMTHRQKDTLIVSAVTPDLNMTRQKAATPVTINVTINGKWQ —YQPASIEDKWIKKVNKPAIVMTHRQKDTLIVSAVTPDLNMTRQKAATPVTINVTINGKWQ       910       920       930       940       950       960       970       980       990 365019SADKNSEVKYQVSGDNTELTFTSYFGIPQEIKLSPLP::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: —SADKNSEVKYQVSGDNTELTFTSYFGIPQEIKLSPLP        970       980       990

REFERENCES

-   1. Fethiere J, Eggimann B, Cygler M (1999) Crystal structure of    chondroitin AC lyase, a representative of a family of    glycosaminoglycan degrading enzymes. J Mol. Biol. 288:635-47.-   2. Pojasek K, Shriver Z, Kiley, P Venkataraman G and    Sasisekharan R. (2001) Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 286:343-51.-   3. Huang W, Matte A, Li Y, Kim Y S, Linhardt R J, Su H,    Cygler M. (1999) Crystal structure of chondroitinase B from    Flavobacterium heparinum and its complex with a disaccharide product    at 1.7 A resolution. J Mol. Biol. 294:1257-69.-   4. Miura R O, Yamagata S, Miura Y, Harada T and Yamagata T. (1995)    Anal Biochem. 225:333-40.-   5. Yamagata T, Saito H, Habuchi O and Suzuki S. (1968) J Biol. Chem.    243:1536-42.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other versionsare possible. Therefore the spirit and scope of the appended claimsshould not be limited to the description and the preferred versionscontain within this specification.

1. A composition comprising: a mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide, said mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide being adeletion mutant of chondroitinase ABC Type I (SEQ ID NO: 1) truncated bya deletion of about 1 to about 120 amino acids from the N-terminus ofsaid chondroitinase ABC Type I, wherein said deletion mutant retains itsproteoglycan degrading activity, wherein the mutant proteoglycandegrading polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, andSEQ ID NO:
 4. 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the mutantproteoglycan degrading polypeptide degrades a proteoglycan in a tissueof the central nervous system.
 3. The composition of claim 1 furtherincluding cells.
 4. The composition of claim 1 and a pharmaceuticallyacceptable excipient.
 5. The composition of claim 1 further includingmolecules which block the action of neurite growth inhibitors, moleculeswhich promote neurite adhesion, diagnostic molecules or a combination ofthese.
 6. A purified chondroitinase mutant polypeptide that degrades aproteoglycan comprising a deletion mutant of chondroitinase ABC Type I(SEQ ID NO: 1) truncated by a deletion of about 1 to about 120 aminoacids from the N-terminus of said chondroitinase ABC Type I, whereinsaid mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptide is selected from SEQ IDNO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO:4.
 7. A purified chondroitinasemutant polypeptide that degrades a proteoglycan comprising a deletionmutant of chondroitinase ABC Type I (SEQ ID NO: 1) truncated by adeletion of about 1 to about 275 amino acids from the C-terminus ofchondroitinase ABC Type I, wherein said mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide is SEQ ID NO:
 4. 8. A composition comprising: a mutantproteoglycan degrading polypeptide, said mutant proteoglycan degradingpolypeptide being a deletion mutant of chondroitinase ABC Type I SEQ IDNO:1 truncated by a deletion of about 1 to about 275 amino acids fromthe C-terminus of said chondroitinase ABC Type I, wherein said mutantretains its proteoglycan degrading activity, wherein the mutantproteoglycan degrading polypeptide is SEQ ID NO:
 4. 9. The compositionof claim 8, wherein the mutant proteoglycan degrading polypeptidedegrades a proteoglycan in a tissue of the central nervous system. 10.The composition of claim 8 further including cells.
 11. The compositionof claim 8 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
 12. Thecomposition of claim 8 further including molecules which block theaction of neurite growth inhibitors, molecules which promote neuriteadhesion, diagnostic molecules or a combination of these.